Opeth: Damnation

What do you get when you mix Swedish progressive rock with the existential cinema of fellow countryman Ingmar Bergman? Why Opeth of course! Actually, Damnation bears almost no relation to the Opeth of old. The band have released a handful of death metal albums over the years, incorporating growling vocals over relentlessly intense and intricate guitars pummeling the listener into metallic bliss or forcing one to reach for the stop button, depending on one's tolerance. Previously, I found myself in the latter camp. Prior to Damnation, my only exposure to the band had been Blackwater Park, a collection of very long, VERY heavy and complex metal that I could only swallow in small doses. I recognized that there was talent and genuine passion in the band's sound, but try as I might, I simply couldn't buy into the cartoonish growling vocals, in which the singer couldn't decide if he was a depressed Marine drill sergeant or The Cookie Monster. For whatever reason, Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree decided to align himself with the band and even his excellent production values couldn't make the band more accessible for me.

With that preamble out of the way, I am proud to announce that the latest Opeth release is a symphonic rock powerhouse of depression and rage that has made me reconsider the values of this band. The band members are exactly the same and the CD cover is as bleak as any in their back catalog. But the vocals of Mikael Akerfeldt are clean, mellow and just this side of suicidal despair. Likewise, the music is performed with restraint, practically verging on folk rock. Add to that, Wilson's most committed level of involvement with the band yet, not only as producer, but as an unofficial fifth member of the band. He lends some vocals, acoustic guitar and most especially mellotron to nearly every track. Yes, this Opeth is a very different animal from Blackwater Park! The closest I can compare this album would be to Landberk's One Man Tells Another. It really is that mellow!! Perhaps if Anglagard had been given Quaaludes, this might also have been the result. The first six tracks are especially strong, with "In My Time of Need", "Closure" and "To Rid the Disease" all standing out. The lyrics are about as despairing as one can get. Consider the chorus from "In My Time of Need": "Close to ending it all, I am drifting through the stages of the rapture born within this loss/Thoughts of death inside, tear me apart from the core of my soul". Certainly not the sort of thing one would see on a Flower Kings disc!

Unfortunately, Damnation begins to wear out its welcome a bit by the last couple of tracks. "Ending Credits" is an instrumental that fits the overall mood of the CD, but in context of the relative high quality of the rest of the songs, acts little more than as filler. The last track, "Weakness", drowns in the mire of its own ambient depression. It would work on Radiohead's Kid A, but on Damnation, it's not a terribly convincing closing number.

Despite some reservations, Damnation is a very, very good CD. The level of depression isn't something I want to relate to for a significant length of time. Like Landberk and White Willow, this is very much mood music. I don't know how veteran Opeth fans will feel about this album as it's such a total change in direction for them. Time will tell whether or not this is just a one off experiment. Either way, I applaud the band's bravery at testing their audience. I predict that if they venture into more progressive rock territory, they will come up with a modern classic. Break out the Prozac!

Added: July 30th 2005
Reviewer: Steve Pettengill
Score:
Related Link: Official Opeth Website
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Language: english

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